Effective Communication in Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001)

7.4.2 Internal communication

The organization shall:

1. Internally communicate information relevant to the environmental management system among the various levels and functions of the organization, including changes to the environmental management system, as appropriate.
2. Ensure its communication process(es) enable(s) persons doing work under the organization’s control to contribute to continual improvement.

7.4.3 External communication

The organization shall externally communicate information relevant to the environmental management system, as established by the organization’s communication process(es) and as required by its compliance obligations.

When establishing its communication processes, the internal organizational structure should be considered to ensure communication with the most appropriate levels and functions. A single approach can be adequate to meet the needs of many different interested parties, or multiple approaches might be necessary to address specific needs of individual interested parties.

The information received by the organization can contain requests from interested parties for specific information related to the management of its environmental aspects, or can contain general impressions or views on the way the organization carries out that management. These impressions or views can be positive or negative. In the latter case (e.g. complaints), it is important that a prompt and clear answer is provided by the organization. A subsequent analysis of these complaints can provide valuable information for detecting improvement opportunities for the environmental management system

Communication should:

1. Be transparent, i.e., the organization is open in the way it derives what it has reported on.
2. Be appropriate, so that information meets the needs of relevant interested parties. enabling them to participate.
3. Be truthful and not misleading to those who rely on the information reported.
4. Be factual, accurate and able to be trusted.
5. Not excluding relevant information.
6. Be understandable to interested parties.

An organization should establish processes for communication relevant to the environmental management system, taking into account the organization’s compliance obligations. These processes should identify:

• What information needs to be communicated.
• When or under what circumstances it needs to be communicated.
• To whom it needs to be communicated.
• How it will be communicated.

The organization can consider the potential costs and benefits of different approaches in developing processes for communication that are appropriate for its particular circumstances. Communication of environmental information should be based on, and consistent with, the information generated within the environmental management system, including the internal evaluation of the organization’s environmental performance.

In determining how it intends to communicate, the organization should consider different communication methods that can encourage understanding and acceptance of the organization’s environmental management efforts and promote dialogue with interested parties. Methods of communication include, for example, informal discussions, organization open days, focus groups, community dialogue, involvement in community events, websites and e-mail, press releases, advertisements and periodic newsletters, annual or other periodic reports, and telephone hotlines.

The organization should consider and respond to relevant questions, concerns, or other communicated inputs to its environmental management system. It can be beneficial to establish a process for receiving and responding to such internal and external communications.

Organizations should retain documented information of its communications, as appropriate, in order to:

• Recall the history of specific interested party communication, inquiries, or concerns.
• Understand the nature of various interested party engagements over time.
• Improve the organization’s effectiveness in developing future communication and in following up and addressing the concerns of specific interested parties as needed.

Some communications need not be documented if there is no added benefit to the environmental management system, e.g. informal communications. The organization should take into account its nature and size, its significant environmental aspects, and the nature and needs and expectations of its interested parties when establishing its communications processes.

The organization should consider the following process steps:

• Gather information, or make inquiries, including from relevant interested parties.
• Determine the target audience(s) and their needs for information or dialogue.
• Select information relevant to the audience’s interests.
• Decide on the information to be communicated to the target audience(s).
• Determine which methods and formats are appropriate for communication.
• Evaluate and periodically determine the effectiveness of the communications process.

The principal communication components of an environmental management system are summarized in Practical Help. These components are recommended as the core, minimum components, and an organization can go beyond these as necessary for effective communication relevant to the environmental management system.